Enjoy the Sounds of Caribana Without Risk to Your Ears

Posted on 07/09/2012

Enjoy the Sounds of Caribana Without Risk to Your Ears

Toronto's Caribbean festival is only one of many outdoor summer events that have high noise levels

VICTORIA, B.C. (July 10, 2012) — Toronto's annual Caribana Festival is a lavish and raucous celebration of Caribbean culture. It includes parades, parties, and loads of music. While you're listening to the steel drums this year, however, Connect Hearing advises you to take the necessary steps to protect your hearing — and not simply with ear plugs.

With festivals all over the country and more and more Canadians choosing to stay close to home because of the high cost of airfare, the joys of experiencing the events in one's community are particularly attractive. Taking the proper precautions when doing so is crucial for your auditory senses, as more people are becoming aware.

"You want to keep yourself a safe listening distance from speakers and also be aware of what your body is telling you. If you're feeling discomfort because of the loud noises around you, or if you are in an environment where you can't carry on a conversation because of the noise level around you, then it's time to relocate yourself," says MJ DeSousa, Connect Hearing's Director of Professional Practice. "Ear plugs really are mandatory when enjoying festival-type events where there's going to be large, boisterous crowds and loud music. But ear plugs are just part of what you need to employ in order to protect your hearing health and allow yourself to stay connected to the people and activities important to you for years ahead."

Through complimentary hearing tests at its 120 clinics across the nation, Connect Hearing has been able to help Canadians safe guard against hearing loss while also gathering data that shows hearing loss is occurring in younger and younger people.

"Caribana is one of those festivals with a very large attendance of young people, but tests are showing that those young people, especially in urban environments, are suffering from hearing damage at a much earlier age than previously thought," DeSousa says.

Maintaining an active lifestyle well into your 50s and 60s is often predicated on the ability to enjoy the sounds that bring you joy. Indeed, for many people, the best part about Caribana, which begins on July 17, is the music of the Caribbean that's on display. Muffling those sounds effectively won't ruin your enjoyment of them, it will simply extend the length of time you will be able to connect with them.

For more information about how to protect yourself from hearing loss or to find the Connect Hearing clinic closest to you, visit www.connecthearing.ca.